NGO slams bullying of Goa Catholic priest during ongoing municipal poll campaign

PANAJI: In yet another showdown between officials of the Goa Church and the ruling government ahead of an election, a Church-backed NGO has slammed "verbal assault" and "unruly behaviour" against a parish priest, during the ongoing municipal poll campaign.

In an official statement the Council for Social Justice and Peace, which is an arm of the influential Roman Catholic Church in Goa, on Wednesday said that the threat of violence on March 6 against Fr. Bolmax Pereira, the parish priest of Chicalim, allegedly by the personal assistant (PA) of a Cabinet Minister in the BJP-led coalition government, was unwarranted and intended to create disharmony in the area.

The incident had occurred after Pereira had visited the residence of a woman panchayat member, who was elected unopposed in a local village panchayat ward, when he was confronted by the Minister's PA. Polls to 11 municipal councils, one municipal corporation and bypolls in a few village panchayat wards are scheduled to be held in Goa on March 20.

"The said miscreants earlier used demeaning words and tried to pressurise and bully the youth and her family, thereby creating a sense of fear and intimidation. This evil and cowardly act was distressing and shocking and has caused disharmony in the local area," the Council said in a statement by it's executive secretary Fr. Savio Fernandes. (IANS)

Also Read: Delhi Police arrested two more people in connection to Red Fort violence

Also Watch: Akhil Gogoi filed for Nomination from GMCH